1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of accessory mechanical components for tool machines.
In particular, the invention relates to a flat protective cover with two degrees of freedom for tool machines, which can be associated with an operating member movable along two or three directions within a defined operating area.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, flat protective covers of this kind are suitable for protecting the operating area within which the operating member of the tool machine moves from external elements that could jeopardize the efficiency and duration of the same machine. Such protective covers, in fact, are a valid repair against dirt, chips, coolants, emulsions, accidental tool collisions, etc.
A widespread type of said flat protective covers comprises a first covering element, fixed to said machine in correspondence to the zone to be protected, a second movable covering element, operatively connected to said operating member, and optionally one or more intermediate covering elements movable relative to each other and relative to said first and second covering element. In particular, the outermost machine element has a frame shape, which can easily contain within its thickness the space occupied by all the other flat elements constituting the protection with concentric elements.
Each covering element, preferably made of a metal material, for example steel, has an opening for the passage of said operating member. Said opening has a substantially rectangular shape for all the elements, except for the last element the opening whereof is substantially circular, so as to allow the passage of the shaft of the machine operating member. The shaft moves in a plane pulling the cover and can slide within the same cover in a third direction orthogonal to the same plane.
Said traditional flat protective covers further comprise guide and retaining means, the function whereof, on the one side, is to slidingly couple said covering elements to each other so as to follow said operating member in its operating movements and cover the zone to be protected, and the other side it is to retain all the covering elements relatively tightened to one another in a packet configuration. In particular, each covering element is associated with at least one guide and retaining element that facilitates the sliding of the same element along a first direction, and at least one guide and retaining element that facilitates the sliding of the same in a second direction orthogonal to the first one.
A protective cover is known from patent EP 1 178 258 A1, wherein each flat element has a turned up frame that serves as a guide for the adjacent element along a first direction, and at least one appendix arranged for slidingly cooperating along a second direction with suitable tracks also provided on the adjacent element.
These types of telescopic protections have some limits and drawbacks.
Said covering elements and guide and retaining means, shaped as described above, impart a relatively large thickness to the flat protective cover, thus making it considerably bulky for the entire tool machine and heavy for the operating member it is operatively associated with.
Even more disadvantageously, the increased weight of said flat elements contributes to slowing down the telescopic movement, with problems for the production and relative economic drawbacks.
A further drawback of these traditional flat protective covers is the difficulty of providing, on the single covering elements, if not by considerably increasing thickness, cleaning means, such as for example brass sheets and scrapers, which are very important for keeping a good cleaning of the walls from chips, oils or coolants that may wear out, scratch and damage the protection components and the operating member.